Chapter 412
**Chapter 410: Rescue**
Shen Wei shook her head. "He must have taken the instrument to the South Sea. Unfortunately, I can't find any trace of it."
As time passed, Shen Wei's body grew weaker, and she found herself sleeping more and more each day. She could no longer continue her exercises; any increase in activity only left her feeling more drained.
Mo Xun clicked his tongue. "So what do we do now?"
Shen Wei's expression darkened. "Before I die, I will definitely drag him down with me."
The Southern Chu cavalry stood guard on the beach. After finishing their grilled fish, Shen Wei and Mo Xun made their way back along the shore. Suddenly, Shen Wei felt an itch in her nostrils.
She reached up to touch her nose.
Her palm came away stained with bright red blood.
Seeing this, Mo Xun quickly took her pulse. After a moment, he let out a slight sigh of relief. "It's just heatiness. Plus, you've been taking too many tonics lately, which has caused your nose to bleed. When we get back, I'll brew you some tea to cool you down."
Shen Wei wiped away the blood with a handkerchief.
At that moment, Li Yuanli stepped out of the courtyard and caught sight of the scene. The moonlight was bright, and the blood on Shen Wei's handkerchief was starkly visible.
His heart ached.
He rushed over. "Where are you hurt?"
Shen Wei was about to say "It's nothing," but upon seeing the anxious look on Li Yuanli's face, she had a sudden thought. Covering her mouth and nose with the handkerchief, blood slipped from her nostrils, seeping through her fingers.
Feigning weakness, Shen Wei leaned to the side, and Li Yuanli quickly caught her.
Mo Xun, who spent every day with Shen Wei, immediately guessed her intentions. He sighed dramatically, shaking his head at Li Yuanli. "She's too weak. Now she's bleeding from the nose, which means her internal organs are seriously depleted... Don't say half a year; she might not even make it through tonight!"
Li Yuanli froze.
Shen Wei continued to bleed, her face pale and looking utterly frail. It felt as if a knife was twisting in Li Yuanli's heart.
Just earlier in the day, she had seemed fine, and now, under the cover of night, she had deteriorated so drastically...
He scooped Shen Wei up in his arms and strode back toward the courtyard.
Mo Xun followed closely behind, chattering away. "If you really love her, you should let her live well in this world, not confine her to a square courtyard! Shen Wei wants to live a long life!"
As he spoke, Mo Xun discreetly observed Li Yuanli's expression. Li Yuanli's face was tense, his eyes filled with pain and reluctance.
In his arms, Shen Wei's breathing grew weaker. Li Yuanli held her tightly, his thin lips pressed into a hard line.
He couldn't just stand by and watch Shen Wei die; he had to save her.
"Someone, get the key!" Li Yuanli commanded.
Inside, Shen Wei felt a surge of joy. The ruse had worked! Li Yuanli mistakenly believed she was on the brink of death and was about to retrieve the instrument to restore her spirit.
But before she could revel in her success, a sudden whistling sound pierced the air.
Whoosh—
An arrow shot through the air, embedding itself in the sand right next to Li Yuanli's feet. The Southern Chu cavalry sprang into action, drawing their swords. Not far away, the sound of galloping horses approached, a group riding swiftly along the moonlit beach.
Dressed in black robes that fluttered in the night wind, Li Yuanjing arrived. He drew his bow and shot another arrow, this time landing it right in front of Li Yuanli's shoes.
"Return her to me!" Li Yuanjing shouted angrily.
Li Yuanli narrowed his dark eyes. "You sure are quick to show up."
On the beach, the Southern Chu cavalry and the Qing Kingdom's Tiger Guards clashed, sand flying amidst the crashing waves.
Li Yuanjing rode closer, and upon seeing Shen Wei in Li Yuanli's arms, his eyes reddened with rage and jealousy, like a flood breaking its banks. He drew his long knife and swung it at Li Yuanli's head.
"Return her to me!" Li Yuanjing bellowed.
Li Yuanli deftly dodged, handing the "unconscious" Shen Wei over to Mo Xun. "Take care of her."
Mo Xun's lips twitched as he steadied the fainted Shen Wei with one hand while glaring coldly at Li Yuanjing from a distance.
Why did he have to show up now, of all times? Mo Xun supported Shen Wei and urged Li Yuanli, "You need to resolve this quickly; Shen Wei might not make it through the night—hey, you two, if you're going to fight, at least keep your weapons steady! Don't hurt the innocent!"
A large knife was knocked away, flying straight toward Mo Xun's face.
Mo Xun dodged just in time, but his grip on Shen Wei loosened. The feigning Shen Wei fell to the ground with a thud, her fragile ankle hitting a hard stone.
Shen Wei winced in pain and gasped, her eyes snapping open.
That hurt!
Just then, Li Yuanli, who had just stepped away, caught sight of this and felt his eyelid twitch. The weak Shen Wei from moments ago had suddenly come to life.
Clearly, the whole "not making it through the night" was a carefully orchestrated act by Shen Wei and Mo Xun, designed to soften his heart and compel him to hand over the instrument.
He shook his head with a smile and said to Mo Xun, "You truly are a master of deception."
Mo Xun awkwardly rubbed his nose.
Shen Wei kicked the stone aside and pulled Mo Xun back into the courtyard. With a slam, the door shut, sealing off the chaos outside.
Outside, Li Yuanjing and Li Yuanli's forces had already engaged in battle.
Mo Xun said, "Shen Wei, we're in Southern Chu! Li Yuanjing only brought a handful of men; he can't possibly defeat Li Yuanli! Why did he have to come at this critical moment, just when we were about to succeed?"
Shen Wei wiped the sweat from her forehead as she headed toward Li Yuanli's sleeping quarters. "Let them fight. We need to hurry and find the key Li Yuanli mentioned—he might have hidden the instrument in one of the boxes. We should take this chance to search thoroughly."
Mo Xun replied, "Impressive, you really don't waste a moment."
As the battle raged outside, Shen Wei and Mo Xun rummaged through the courtyard. However, Li Yuanli's sleeping quarters were vast, filled with weapons, antiques, and books.
Shen Wei noticed a desk piled high with scrolls, neatly arranged like a mountain.
In her quest for the key, she casually opened a few scrolls—
Inside were countless portraits of her, all depicting her former self.
Each image showed Shen Wei in various scenes: fishing by the river, buying flowers on the street, slaughtering pigs, sleeping at a table, and even dressed in a noblewoman's attire...
So lifelike, so vivid.
The brushwork was delicate, capturing every detail.
Mo Xun, seeing the mountain of portraits, exclaimed in wonder, "What a lovesick fool, what a pity."
Shen Wei set the portraits aside and continued searching the room. The quarters were simply too large, and after a while, she found herself panting from exhaustion. She sat down in a chair to rest when suddenly, the door burst open—
Li Chengyou, dressed in dark clothing and wielding a red-tasseled spear, kicked the door open.
His gaze shifted between Mo Xun and Shen Wei, his brow furrowing in thought, before he quickly approached the older Mo Xun, tears welling in his eyes. "Mother, I've come to save you!"
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